Rail construction for rolling hoppers



.IEE. RAIL CONSTRUCTION FOR ROLLING HOPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. IZ, I919.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. P. LEE.

RAIL CONSTRUCTION FOR ROLLING HOPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED APEv I2, 19H).

Pamnted Aug. 17, 1.920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mim /5565,

UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.-

ALBERT S N EE. F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR '1 LEE -QADEa & D COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAIL CONSTRUCTION ron nonnnve norrnns. i a,

n c fiw vn c e e P nt Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Application filed April 12, 1919. Serial No. 289,491.

To all whom it may concern:

Be i known that I, ALBERT P. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Chicago, in the-county of Cook and btate of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail Constructions for Rolling Hoppers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the acconipanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to rail constructions for rolling hoppers of the type which are adapted to normally rest on the rail in a central position and which may roll on the rail from either side of the central position toward limiting positions at the extremities of the rail, whereby to dump the contents within the hopper.

My invention is designed among other things to produce a strong construction for rails of this character without making the rail too heavy.

My invention is furthermore designed to provide a construction in which a suitable resting place of adequate proportions is provided to accommodate the hopper and assist in holding it when in its central position.

My invention is directed to these and other features, all of which will be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a rolling hopper shown in cooperation with a rail of my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the rail structure Fig. 3 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fi '3, and

Wig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, I show a vehicle having the framework channels 10, 10 running longitudinally of the vehicle, which is suitably supported on wheels 11, 11. This framework suitabl supports the rail structure 12, which rail structure supports the rolling hopper 13. There may be two or more rail structures 12 throughout the length of the vehicle or hopper as may be required by the size of the hopperv Th h pp r sh wn in full lines in Fig. 1 in its central position and is shown in dotted lines in one of its limiting positions, which is the dumping position. Suitable instrun entalities are provided to hold the hopper in its central position in practice, but these are omitted from the illustrat1on herein for the sake of clearness. The hopper 13 rolls automatically from its central position, when started, into either hn iting position, one such limiting position being. shown, as stated, in dottedlines in Fig. 1. The hopper, as shown in my copending application Serial No. 142,419, filed January 15, 1917, has a rounded bottom and abruptly inclined sides which cooperate re spectively with the two portions of the rail provided upon either side of the central portion of said rail, respectively, the inclined section 14 and the curved section 15. The sections 14 and 15 are preferably united to form one side ofthe rail structure upon either side of the rail center. The free extremities of the sections 14 are carried by and rigidly held in place within a casing 16. This casing is suitably riveted, as by the rivets 17, to the framework of the vehicle. The casing also has two webs or flanges 18, 18 extending outwardly from the center which accommodate the web portion 19 of the rail, the flange portion 20 resting on top of the flaring flange portions 21 provided at the upper extremities of the webs 18. 'The rail sections 14 and 15 are as here in shown T-shaped in cross section. The casing 16 likewise has a central web portion 22 which supports a circular bearing portion 23 adapted to receive a rounded lug 24 secured to the base of the hopper 13 when the hopper is in its central position. This lug 24 is held in place by the rivets 25, 25, as more clearly shown in Fig. 5 Web portions 18 of the casing 16 suitably hold the webs of the rail sections, these parts being riveted together by the rivets 26. A very rigid center structure for mounting the free extremities of the rail sections 14, 14 is thus provided and likewise a substantial bearing for the lug 24 is formed so as to insure against breakage of the parts in the course of the rough usage to which vehicles ofthis nature aresubjected. Suitable brackets 27, 27 are riveted to thelchannels 10 to further support the rails and for this purpose bolts 28, 28am provided, as shown more clearly in Fig, 2.

The rail structure is thus adequately supported throughout its entire length. free extremities of the rail sections 15, fingers 29, 29 are provided riveted in place by the rivets 30. These fingers 29 cooperate with the pins 31 provided upon the hopper 13 so that the hopper may partake of a substantial pivoting movement after it has reached the limit of its rolling movement upon the rail sections 14,15. The rail sections? andthe hopper are so designed that the hopper once it is given a start from out of its central position will roll automatically upon the rail toward its limiting position and discharge its contents. The elements 28 and 24 are so arranged and constructed thata very slight pressure is all that is necessary in order to move the hopper out of its central position.

As before stated, suitable means such as shown in my said co-pending application are provided to hold the hopper in its central position whenever it is desired to maintain the hopper in its central position. \Vhen, however, it is desired to dump the hopper, these retaining means are unlocked or removed, whereupon it is only necessary to exert a slight pressure against the hopper inv the direction in whiclrit is desired to dump its contents and the hopper will thereupon automatically roll to'the dumping position. It will be noted that there is a slight space between the rail extremity 32 and the lower edge of the hopper 18 (Fig. 41-), and by reason of this it is not necessary to raise the contents of the hopper when the operator starts the hopper in its discharge movement. By reason of the structure shown, no mechanical instrumentalities are required to thus start the hopper toward its dumping position as the operator himself can readily exert the desired pressure to accomplish the desired end.

From what has been described it will be noted that a very simple and strong rail construction has been provided and this is of course necessary in view of the fact that hoppers of this type have a carrying ca pacity of'all the way from one to five tons or-more. It will also be noted that means are provided which cooperate when the hopper: is in its central'position to permit a ready displacement of the hopper from its central position when it-is desired to cause the contents of the hopper to be dumped.

It will be readily understood that my invention is susceptible of many and various modifications within the scope of the appended; claims without departing from its spirit.

. Having thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure of the character described the combination with a rail com- At the prising a central casing and inclined side portions formed separately from and secured to the casing, of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail substantially automati ally lrom a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position,and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its central portion, said rail having at its central casing portion a rounded recess to cooperate with said lug.

2. In a structure oi. the character described the combination with a rail comprising a central Easing with spaced webs and side sections positioned between the webs. of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail from a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position, and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its central portion, said rail having at its central casing portion a rounded recess to cooperate with said lug.

3. In a structure of the (.llilllH'tQl described the combination with a rail comprising a central casing with spaced webs and side sections positioned, between the webs, of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail substantially automatically from a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position, and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its central portion, said rail having at its central casing portion a rounded recess to cooperate with said lug, said side sections being spaced apart from said recess and sloping downwardly from either side of said casing.

t. In a structure of the character de scribed the combination with a rail having a central casing and downwardly directed side portions, of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail substantially automatically from a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position, and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its central portion to support the hopper and its load when the hopper is in its central position. said rail having at its central casing a rounded recess to cooperate with said lug, the dimensions of said. lug being such that the lower wall of said hopper is slightly elevated above the cooperating central rail portions at the edge of said recess, and said side portions, each comprising a downwardly inclined straight section adjacent said recess.

5. In a structure of the character de scribed the combination with a rail supported on the framework of a vehicle and projecting beyond the edges thereof, of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail from a central charge carrying to a limiting dumping position beyond the edge of said framework. and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its central portion, to support the hopper and its load when the hopper is in its central position said rail having a central casing provided with a rounded recess tocooperate with said lug and downwardly inclined side portions extending beyond the wheels of the vehicle, the dimensions of said lug being such that the lower wall of said hopper is slightly elevated above the cooperating central rail portions at the edge of said recess, and brackets on said framework to support the projecting ends of said rails.

6. In a structure of the character described the combination with a rail having a central casing and side portions secured to said casing, of a hopper adapted to roll on said rail substantially automatically from a central charge carrying to alimiting dumping position, and a rounded lug provided upon the bottom of said hopper at its cen tral portion, said rail having in its central casing a rounded recess to cooperate with said lug, said rail portions sloping downwardly from either side of said recess, the dimensions of said lug being such that the lower wall of said hopper is slightly elevated above the cooperating side portions at the edges of said recess so that during the initial rolling of the hopper said lug turns in said recess as a fulcrum.

7. A device of the character described comprising a vehicle framework, a runway mounted upon said framework, and a hopper adapted to roll on said runway from charge receiving to discharge position, said runway comprising a central casing secured to said framework and downwardly directed side portions which extend laterally from said casing to points beyond the wheels of the vehicle, each side portion comprising a downwardly inclined straight portion adjacent said casing, said central casing being formed to facilitate moving said hopper so as to engage said straight portions.

8. A device of the character described comprising a vehicle framework, a runway mounted upon said framework, and a hopper adapted to roll on said runway from charge receiving to discharge position, said runway comprising a central casing secured to said framework and downwardly directed side portions which extend laterally from said casing to points beyond the wheels of the vehicle, each side portion comprising a downwardly inclined straight portion adjacent said casing, said central casing being formed to facilitate moving said hopper so as to engage said straight portions, and brackets extending sidewardly from the sides of the framework to support the extending ends of said side portions.

9. A device of the character described comprising a rolling hopper, a lug formed centrally on the bottom of said hopper, a vehicle framework, a casing secured to said framework and provided with a recess to accommodate said lug, said recess and lug having arcuate engaging faces, rail portions supported on said framework, brackets extending from the sides of said framework supporting the extending ends of said side portions, each of said side portions comprising a downwardly inclined straight section adjacent said casing whereby said rail por tions constitute with said casing a runway on which the hopper is adapted to roll substantially automatically from cha'rge receiving to discharge position.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 31st day of March, A. D. 1919.

ALBERT PRESTON LEE. 

